Sam Groth on Michael Venus attacking Nick Kyrgios: Throw barbs, but you are out of AO

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Former Australian tennis player Sam Groth wasn't a fan of Michael Venus calling out Nick Kyrgios following their Australian Open doubles match. After Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis beat Venus and Tim Puetz in the Australian Open quarterfinal, Venus called Kyrgios an "absolute knob." Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, who have been through to the final at Melbourne Park, have been giving their best to win matches but to put on a show for the crowd at the same time.

"Some of the antics were probably a little bit over the top, but this is an entertainment product," Groth told Channel 9, as quoted on Sportskeeda. "We are producing it for the fans that come into the stands, and we're producing it for television and getting eyeballs on the screen that wouldn't normally be watching."

'Venus a bit bitter after losing to Kyrgios'

"He's not doing it from here in Melbourne Park because he lost in the tournament," Groth added.

"Throw barbs, but you're out of the tournament bud. Sorry Michael, I like you a lot, but there's a time and place. "I get it, the crowd's rowdy, Nick's rowdy, but you were giving it back, you were part of it, you were in that battle.

I'm not convinced it was the right way to go. I have known Michael for a long, long time. He is understandably a little bit bitter about the way things went down. It's a different crowd." After Kyrgios and Kokkinakis won their Australian Open semifinal match, Kyrgios was asked about Venus' comments.

Kyrgios, who is never afraid to speak his mind, refused to go off at Venus. "As to Michael Venus, I'm not going to destroy him in this media conference room right now," Kyrgios said. "But Zeballos and Granollers are singles players. They've had great careers. I respect them a lot more than I respect Michael Venus."